Media reports have confirmed that the upcoming edition of the Gulf Cup football tournament may witness radical changes.
Omani journalist Dhiab Al Balushi mentioned on X that the Gulf Football Federation is officially studying the expansion of participation in the Gulf Cup, by including Arab national teams from outside the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) territories, starting from the next edition, as part of a vision aiming to develop the tournament and raise its competitive and artistic levels.
He pointed out that according to the proposals submitted, the list of teams likely to join includes Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria, which are teams with a rich football history and strong presence on the continental and international scene, potentially adding a new dimension to the tournament and enhancing its artistic and marketing value.
This approach comes amid efforts by the Gulf Football Federation to keep up with the developments in modern football, broaden the base of interest in the tournament beyond the traditional Gulf framework, while maintaining the identity and historical uniqueness of the Gulf Cup associated with the Gulf national teams since its inception.
The upcoming period is expected to witness extensive discussions between the Gulf Federation and the candidate federations, to study all organizational and technical aspects, the participation mechanism, the number of teams, and the tournament system, before making and officially adopting the final decision.
Attention is turning to the next edition of the Gulf Cup, which will be held in Saudi Arabia, specifically in Riyadh, during September (September) 2026.
Riyadh has a new opportunity to host the Gulf tournament, benefiting from its advanced infrastructure and modern sports facilities, along with the organizational experience it has accumulated over recent years through hosting regional, continental, and international tournaments, which grants the next edition additional momentum on both technical and spectator levels.
Indicators suggest that the next edition of the Gulf Cup could be one of the most exceptional in the tournament's history, in terms of both the venue and the nature of competition, as we await the final decisions in the coming months.
